Tuesday

Sep 26, 2017 at 12:01 AM

TO THE EDITOR:

If the state provides $15.5M (46 percent) towards the replacement Weymouth Tufts Library guestimate of $33.7M (up $7.7M as I predicted) that will leave $18.2M to be paid through increased local taxes and fees. Weymouth expects to bond the $33.7M up front and be reimbursed after the library is completed. Considering the greater capital needs of the town like new school buildings, the renovation of Fire Station 1 in North Weymouth, a Fire Station at Union Point (considered part of Weymouth); especially in light of the recent $25M devastating fire there, and other needs like providing ADA-required accessible parking at all public buildings (e.g. town hall, the school administration building and others) along with Weymouth’s huge $236M OPEB liability, the idea of a $33.7M library is off the chart.

The drawings show the tot playground behind the library missing and the idea to replace a $3.25M building with a $33.7M building, plus bonding costs of about $9M, none of which will generate any tax revenues, is out of touch with reality. To preserve taxpayer resources, I’d tear off the roof, add a third floor for meeting rooms, spruce the place up for perhaps less than $4-5M and call it a day.

Robert Montgomery Thomas

WEYMOUTH

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